Tuesday, June 30, 2009

AfterThe girl said to Tobias the day she got her braces: “Tobias, you said they’d hurt – they don’t hurt at all.”The next morning she wouldn’t eat breakfast. The rest of the week she’d only eat oatmeal for breakfast. And this is only the top until they align, then the bottom come on in maybe 10 – 12 weeks.Sometimes experience is life’s greatest lesson.Foot in mouth – been there, done that.

Friday, June 26, 2009

This family just legally adopted this dude this week, and the other two will follow shortly.

Drew. Have you ever seen anything so gorgeous? Look at those eyes. Skin so soft.

He has a great future now and wonderful life of love and opportunity….I’ll rap him on the head when he is a teen if he forgets!

This one “Jess”….."charm" should be his middle name.

And this one “Marlee”…..look at those pudgy arms! Love baby pudge.

Finalization day is coming for the other two! Yes it is. One down, two to go.We love this family and are happier than happy for them. They warm my soul to see how after 13 years, God blessed them in such a special way. Their walk is much like ours. God knows what he is doing, isn’t that just so cool?!

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jer 29:11

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Sister, sister – you are a prayer come true.Sister, sister – you are sunshine when I’m blue.I have lost a sister, a brother, a mother, a father.I have gained a sister, brothers, a mother, a father.Sister, sister – you are a balm to my soul,Irresistible to love, filling a deep hole.God knew I needed you.God knew you needed me.Sister, sister - not by birth,Sister, sister - of great worth.Sister, sister – you sooth me like a calm lake.Sister, sister – we’ve memories to make.

Monday, June 15, 2009

Man we missed this boy. Poor Tobias was missing his “right” arm buddy bro something bad last week – he was downright “sad” without his brother. That is what happens when you are only 9 months and 12 days apart from each other. Twins by choice is what they are.

I think he added a freckle or two…I think he matured and had some life experiences minus his controlling mother! I think there are things I don’t want to know and things I shouldn’t know. I think he grew in the Lord. I think he made some new friends. I think every kid should attend church camp when they have programs as wonderful as this one! He survived, I survived .That is what it is all about.

Laundry – I think he wore the same underwear all week. I don’t think he changed clothes as much as his mother would have liked…..oh well, I didn’t have to smell him day in and out. First things first – I made him take a good bath! Bubbles and the works….shhh don’t’ tell his friends he loves to soak in bubbles! Found one tick. Discovered we are missing 5 pairs of underwear and 7 pairs of socks. The toothpaste, toothbrush and shampoo all came home new and unused. I don't even want to know!

My flock is full and together again. Feels good. Feels complete. Feels whole.

Let me live in this moment here and now, for tomorrow the euphoria wears off and the kids are picking on each other and driving me nuts! Sigh….

Thursday, June 11, 2009

My Dad is still in ICU. We have some good days, looking like actual progress, then a step back. Dad has “asbestosis.” He got this from his years in construction working as a plasterer in contact with asbestos. Asbestos was used extensively during World War II, when it was common in ships. Longshoremen, pipefitters, insulators and other shipyard workers risked contact with the substance. During the 1960s through the 1980s, asbestos was very common in building materials. My Dad didn’t smoke or drink alcohol (lots of coffee though!)….he’s lived a good life, working hard. He didn’t deserve this. For whatever reasons, God felt this would be his burden to bear. Mom and Dad have been married 51 years.

The symptoms Dad has had for years are chronic cough, chest pain, chest tightness, fitful sleep, ill feeling and appetite loss, decreased tolerance for physical activity, shortness of breath, referred to as dyspnea (initially only with exertion, but now even while resting). Dad has all of this. Sometimes people get finger deformity (clubbing) in some cases….Dad doesn’t have this.From the asbestos fibers growing in his lungs, he gets a pleural thickening around his lungs….think like orange peel. As that hardens, his lungs stiffen and can’t work well at pumping the oxygen. Right now he can breathe in – but he can’t convert the oxygen into the dioxide his body needs very well. Asbestos-related pleural thickening occurs because, unlike most airborne particles, asbestos fibers are so small that they can bypass the lungs’ filtration system and get into the lungs. Once in the lungs they become imbedded in the pleura and other areas and cause inflammation and scarring.

There is no cure for Asbestosis. The end for someone with this disease is ugly. You either suffocate as your lungs slowly quit working, or something like pneumonia will take you. Dad has told us many times he is ready to go. Dad also doesn’t want to suffer – nor do we want him to suffer. His parents (my grandparents) died in a car crash instantly. I was only three when they died. Dad has said that is a better way to die – quickly, no pain. I can’t remove my Dad’s pain, but I can pray that God will hold his hand as he suffers from this disease and when the time is right, he will take Dad quickly. People out there – pray this with me.Isaiah 40:28-3128 Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom.29 He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.30 Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall;31 but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

1 Peter 3:1818 For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit.

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Let me start off by saying “I love my husband very much.” So much, that I support him with a cell phone to keep the lines of communication between us going – with 4 kiddos, both of us working, 2 dogs, 13 dolls, etc – our life takes good communication! What irritates me GREATLY is when he is with the phone I bought him, and

1. He doesn’t answer it.2. He says he didn’t hear it ring…..hmmm BECAUSE HE HAS IT ON VIBRATE.3. In his baggy shorts or jeans he can’t feel it VIBRATE, so set it to ring – loud! Nope.

So, the other day when lost in the store and trying to find him with his half of the kiddos – I called him, left him a voice message so his phone will beep at him….he calls me back, didn’t listen to my voice message and sweetly asks “did you call me?” Yes, he has caller ID. Love the man – so, I’m upgrading his phone this week to a Blackberry – I’ve requested the Tazer setting so we can resolve this issue and get on with good communication.With my copyright on the “tazer” setting I’m sure we can make millions, quit our jobs and call each other from the kitchen to the bathroom without having to use our new setting. :-)

Tuesday, June 9, 2009

Yup – the dreaded words “you aren’t my real mom” “I hate you” and “my real mom loves me” have arrived. Sweet girl, you’ve so many rejections to overcome, but we are your family now, we aren’t going anywhere. Test us, test us again….it makes us sad – but we aren’t going anywhere. We are strong enough with God’s help we will shoulder you and he will shoulder us all. We are here to kiss and hug you – to assure you life will be OK. Flip the dime and we’ve smiles, giggles with living so many firsts….swim lessons, Vacation Bible School (VBS), MP3 player to lazy summer fun days. From the “I don’t want to” of fear at the onset – to “that was fun, when can I do it again?”

Time is her healer. Time is her teacher.

The best interest staffing happened, we are the officially chosen family for adoption for her……heading into more rocky days ahead, we will be here for you! Deep breath and away we go….blowing bubbles all the way down the path of life ahead. Thank you Dear Lord.

Saturday, June 6, 2009

Vacation Bible School – the kiddos love it. This is from the program wrap up – was a great week for them! I love it when they grow in faith through this yearly community event. Growing up was a hard moment for Anthony this week - he was too old to attend VBS but could be a Jr Volunteer. I thought this was a great idea for him and he was linked to a Kingergarten class. Wednesday we found out he took his offering and went to the local convenience store, spent it all on gum and hadn't been showing up early to check in with his teacher plus dissappeared during VBS that she didn't know where he was - obviously not HELPING. Sigh.....tough parenting moments. So, we felt like he needed to learn a life lesson - so we told him he was fired after all the facts were collected. In life, you get fired if you don't do the job. I went with him the next morning as he apologized to his teacher that he was supposed to be helping - she was gracious. Then out of his Sat allowance he'll give the money that was to be offering back to God on Sunday. Tough lesson - I hope it sticks with him for future, right now our trust level with him is fairly broken. This has been a tough week - my bro Jim had another siezure, my Dad is in ICU in Canada and we sit for word to go or stay......God is testing us! Growth comes through trials. I could use a little less growth this next week!

VBS is almost as good as church camp….oh my goodness, Sunday Anthony leaves for church camp….he’s my oldest baby and he’s never left me that long….will I survive? Aaggghhh Will he change his underwear daily or at all? Will he eat enough? What if he gets a head ache without me there to help him through it? I’ll be a basket case without him……yikes….he is growing up, well, emotionally sometimes, physically he is still the shortest kiddo in his class….ok, we won’t go there.

Tuesday, June 2, 2009

We received a nice rain tonight – I thought “Thanks for watering my flowers God!” Then I saw my geranium, protected under the eave, yearning for the moisture – but the rain couldn’t reach it. I could almost hear it call out “water me” as the refreshing coolness of moisture eluded it.

I know Christians like that – sheltered under an eave, unable to move to the refreshing forgiveness God grants. Playing it safe. Or maybe too afraid to allow the Holy Spirit to enter them to be refreshed anew and take risks for that growth. I’ll admit I have days like that too.Lord, I lift my needs to you to be quenched by your mercy and goodness – fill me, water me, grow me as you need me to be. Help me to move into the rain in my life. Amen

This refrain sings through my mind tonight….Fill my cup Lord, I lift it up lord, come and quench this thirsting of my soul, bread of heaven feed me till I want no more, fill my cup, fill it up, and make me whole.

About Me

I'm an old soul in a middle aged body. I love sentimental things. A Canadian at heart living in small town USA.
This is our family life of soap, water, dirt and rocks in the washer! God leads us to the washline after cleansing our souls through the trials of stains, giving us that fresh air smell we can only receive by hanging it out there on the wash line of life!
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